Adopt-a-Spot Program Information

Goal: To help beautify Portsmouth through the adoption of public areas by organizations, businesses and individuals.

Highway Adoption Sign Up

Parties interested in Highway area cleanups should contact the Virginia Department of Transportation's Adopt-a-Spot Highway program.

The Adopt-A-Spot agreement (PDF) must be approved by the Portsmouth Department of General Services before the parties begin cleanup activities.

The City's Recycling Manager will coordinate, review, and approve proposed area(s) of adoption. If there is a question of safety or ownership of property, the proposed adoption agreement will not be approved until the issues have been resolved.

Any local community organization, business or individual (18 years or older) will be allowed to adopt a spot for cleanup. The City reserves the right to deny adoption requests, requests for signs or for supplies as it deems necessary.

The organization or business representative or individual must sign the agreement. If there are any special concerns prior to beginning cleanup activities, write "see attachment" on the agreement form. Provide such concerns on a separate page and sign your name and give a phone number on the attached page.

Participants will be required to adopt for a minimum of two years and provide at least four (4) cleanups per year.

Group members under 18 years of age must be supervised by a member who is 18 years of age. There should be one 18 year old person or older for every six group members under 18.

Participants are suggested to hold at least two meetings a year with their group to review safety and other guidelines. Participants in litter cleanups must attend at least one safety meeting per year. Prior to the cleanup date, coordinators will be required to provide a list of participants that attended these meetings to the Recycling Manager.

The Department of General Services will supply participants with trash bags and safety vests. Litter grabbers will be provided if available. The group's representative should contact the Recycling Manager before a planned cleanup to arrange for pickup of supplies.

Participants are urged to separate and recycle appropriate materials.

One sign noting the program (Adopt-A-Spot) and the participant's group or individual name will be installed in the cleanup area. Participants may purchase a second sign from the City at their own expense.

After each cleanup adopting groups must file a Clean-Up Activity Report detailing the number of people involved, number of bags collected, and hours spent. Printed forms will be provided by the Department of General Services. Completed forms must be delivered or mailed or emailed to the Recycling Manager at: